Football quarter-finals put back to ease fixture congestion
Draws in the Munster and Leinster finals and the knock-on effects on the qualifiers have forced fixture bosses to play the quarter-finals on August 7 and August 14, with the winning teams enjoying a two-week break before the semis.
The news is especially welcome for Kerry manager Jack O’Connor, who is likely to welcome back injured duo Seamus Moynihan and Declan O’Sullivan because of the new time frame.
However, there is little rest for Munster final runners-up Limerick. Liam Kearns’s side will play Derry on Saturday in Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon. The weekend’s other Round 4 qualifier will be played between Fermanagh and Donegal in Clones on the same day at 4pm.
The games between Dublin and Roscommon and Tyrone and the losers of Saturday’s Leinster final replay will form a double header in Croke Park on Sunday, August 1.
The Guinness All-Ireland Hurling championship quarter-finals will be played in Croke Park next Sunday with Cork and Antrim facing off at 2pm, followed by the meeting of Kilkenny and Clare at 4pm.
“We simply haven’t given any thought to it,” Limerick football selector Brian Kelly said of their weekend assignment.
“Our biggest problem will be trying to raise the spirits of the players for the game. Where it’s played doesn’t really matter to us.
“This will be our first championship meeting with Derry. They have picked themselves up well from their defeat by Tyrone in the Ulster championship and we’ll have it all to do to get a result in Hyde Park.”
Derry PRO Gerry Donnelly said the Oak Leaf county had hoped to play the game in Croke Park.
“It would have been great for both Limerick and ourselves if the game was played at headquarters. Neither of us get the chance to play there too often. The experience for the winners would be hugely beneficial going into the quarter-finals,” he said.
“Hyde Park is a splendid venue and while Limerick will be down after losing the Munster final last Sunday, we’ll be treating them with the respect they deserve, and will be taking nothing for granted.”
Saturday
Bank of Ireland Leinster SFC final replay: Laois v Westmeath, Croke Park, 6.15pm; SFC Qualifier Round 4: Derry v Limerick, Hyde Park, 3.30pm; Fermanagh v Donegal, Clones, 4pm
All-Ireland MHC quarter-finals: Galway v Antrim, Parnell Park, 3pm; Dublin v Tipperary, Carlow, 3pm
All-Ireland MHC B quarter-final: Kildare v Roscommon, St Loman’s, Mullingar, 12.30pm.
Sunday
Guinness SHC quarter-finals: Antrim v Cork, Croke Park, 2pm; Clare v Kilkenny, Croke Park, 4pm
July 31
All-Ireland MFC quarter-finals: Galway v Down, Breffni Park, 2pm; Tyrone v Roscommon, Breffni Park, 3.45pm Cork v Laois, Limerick, 2pm; Kerry v Kildare, Limerick, 3.45pm
All-Ireland JFC final: Leitrim v Waterford, Portlaoise, 3.30pm
August 1
Bank of Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 4: Roscommon v Dublin, Croke Park, 2.15pm;
Tyrone v Laois/Westmeath, Croke Park, 4.15pm
August 7
Bank of Ireland SFC quarter-finals (x 2)
August 8
Guinness SHC semi-final: Waterford v quarter-final winner, Croke Park, 3.30pm
August 14
Bank of Ireland SFC quarter-finals (x 2)
August 15
Guinness SHC semi-final: Wexford v quarter-final winner, Croke Park, 3.30pm
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